NBA Summer League story: Bronny James ready for breakout, No. 1 and No. 2 selection decided for the opening match

The main event of the NBA summer calendar begins on Friday when the Las Vegas Summer League kicks off in Sin City. The defending Summer League champion Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off the nearly two-week event by facing the Minnesota Timberwolves in one of seven games on opening day.

The California Classic and Salt Lake City Summer League offered exciting prelims and debuts for some of the 2024 NBA Draft’s top prospects. Some players appearing in their second Summer League stints include Los Angeles Lakers guards Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephan Cassel, Memphis Grizzlies center Zack Eddy and Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams.

The young James got off to a slow start in his Summer League debut last weekend in Northern California and will be looking to bounce back after a poor shooting performance. James and his Los Angeles Summer League team will face No. 3 pick Reed Shepard and the Houston Rockets in the fourth game of the event on Friday. In a marquee matchup between the top-2 picks of the 2024 NBA Draft, Zackary Resacher and the Atlanta Hawks will face Alex Sarr and the Washington Wizards at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Here are the biggest stories ahead of Las Vegas Summer League:

Battle of No. 1 vs. 2 on Opening Night

One of the best traditions of the Las Vegas Summer League is seeing the top picks from the most recent draft go head-to-head. Despite the lack of true star talent in the 2024 NBA Draft, the opening night matchup between the Wizards and Hawks is going to be one of the biggest stories of the event. The Hawks moved up to the No. 1 overall pick and used that selection to draft Rishaar.

Although there was no clear consensus on the No. 1 prospect this cycle, Sarr was considered the closest. Sarr declined predraft workouts with Atlanta during the predraft process and fell to the Wizards with the next pick. The Hawks’ intrigue essentially “passes” on Sarr, making this matchup a must-see. It’s a good thing that basketball fans won’t have to wait long to see this matchup.

Will Bronny James respond?

James begins his second Summer League stint on Friday when the Lakers face the Houston Rockets. The Lakers played three games in the California Classic last weekend and the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft struggled with some issues early, finishing just 3 of 12 from the floor in two games.

The son of LeBron James only attempted three shots during the final game against Miami – all in the first half. Bronny contributed in other ways (seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two combined steals), but improving his shot — and finding it — should be a point of emphasis in Las Vegas. Bronny’s role in the NBA in the short and long term will likely be as a 3-and-D player. He has the IQ and instincts to be a good defender in the NBA. It’s just going to come down to him hitting shots more consistently. Getting reps (and gaining confidence) in Las Vegas should do wonders.

Can Zack Eddy continue his strong SL start?

One of the most polarizing prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft was Eddy, a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year. In the weeks leading up to the draft, Eddy was seen as a favorite in the middle of the first round, but the Grizzlies chose not to take him out of the top-10 on draft night and selected him at No. 9 overall. One of a handful of top-10 players who has already seen summer league action. He finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in 33 minutes against Utah in his Summer League debut.

Expect Eddie to play a big role in his rookie season. The Grizzlies had a glaring hole for a center on the roster after dealing Steven Adams at the deadline, so adding one of the top rebounders in college basketball was a smart choice. Although there may be some matchup issues in the NBA, there is a possibility that the frontcourt pairing of AD and Jaren Jackson Jr. could work. Las Vegas should offer another big test to see how ready he is for the NBA.

Breakout candidates to keep an eye on

Every year in the Summer League, there are always players who emerge as potential stars or Summer League darlings. Here are five names to keep an eye on in Las Vegas (who were drafted outside the top 5 selections).

• Jamal Sheed, Toronto Raptors: The No. 45 pick in the draft has all the makings to become a summer league legend. Sheed is one of the best on-ball defenders in his class and can wreak havoc on that end of the field. Sheed was one of the best players in college basketball last season and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he made a name for himself in Las Vegas.
• Dillon Jones, Oklahoma City Thunder: Jones had already played in Salt Lake City and was one of the best players on the field. The former Weber State standout scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds against the Jazz earlier this week.
• Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves: One of the smartest point guards in the class has all the makings to be the best player from this draft when it’s all said and done. Dillingham was a highlight machine in his lone season with Kentucky. His playing style should impress the fans in Las Vegas.
• Yves Missy, New Orleans Pelicans: With Jonas Valanciunas moving to the Washington Wizards, Missy has a chance to be the Pelicans’ center of the future. The Baylor standout is still relatively new to basketball, but you’d never know it. For a center, he is extremely fluid in his movements and is a rim-running, shot-blocking presence in the middle.
• Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies: Wells is another second-round prospect who has a chance to impress this week. Wells scored 27 points and hit a game-winner against the 76ers earlier this week.